Obesity-reducing band



Patented likes. 25, 1322.

THOMAS LAWTON', or New YORK, n. Y. I

oessrrr-nnnuoine- BAND.

Application filed March'3,

To all whom it may concern: V

Be it known that l. Trroaras lhnvron', residing atNew York in the coiuityand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Obesity.

Reducing Band, ofwhichthe following is a specification. a I Z My invention.relates to resilient bands used in the conditioning of the human body, and is especially adapteddor' use. in the reduction or removal of fatty tissue and muscles, to supply material to the tissues beingtorn down, andrat thesametime the increased flow .of'bloodabsorbs the poisonous'products which give the fatigue-effect. lVhenadipose tissue interlies the muscles the result ofexercise is to cause 3160115111111)- tion'of'the fatty material seas to give off heat, and as stated. the waste products are borne ofi through the blood capillaries. The

adipose tissue under normal conditions would then be built up again, When thee);- ercise ceased, but it themuscles are used. regularly the fatty matter cannot accumulate in the rest periods as,,rapidly as it is] consumed, so-that it eventually disappears in part or in toto. It will be seen then that if some means 'canbe provided by which a resistance preferably'of varying intensity can be opposed towthe normal movements of the muscles, andif at the-sametime means can be provided toproduce a suction effectwhich insures not onlyasure grip on the flesh so as tomakecertain qthat it will be subjected to a massage: or kneading-effect, these muscles willbedoing more than the ordinary amount ofnwork." If in addition thereto, means can be provided to prevent the radiation-of the bodywarmt-h of; the part under treatment so that excessive perspiration will be induced, thereduction-and eventual elimination of thefatty' ma terial may be readily accomplished. j

It'is found alsothat a massage or'knead ing effect is produced bymaintaining a partial vacuum over the part to be treated,

and this partial vacuum ismost easily pro .1922. Serial N5; 540,740,

duced by mounting :an elastic cup-shaped member of some sort a in: position :over the flesh. By the partial collapse ofthis member with the resultant expulsion of air there- ;trom, the desired partial vacuum is produced. It" is necessary of course, to provide suitable means sot-hat the cup-shaped member maybe securely anchoredin posi tiona An: importanti'eature ,isto insure th-at no undue ClISCOIIIfOIt'Will result;

The desired funct ons which have been set forth may best be performed by the use of aresilient impervious band orbandage adapted'to'be worn over and in-close contact with the 'part' tobe treated; Such a bandwill not only supportandstrengthen the portions of the body under treatment,

but may be in turn held against the part with avariablepressure. It is desirable further that the-bandbe non-absorbent so as to ret'ain thebodyf heat andto induce a'more copious perspiration. By providing a band of Y resilient characteristics, suitable resistance mayv be oflered to the muscles so which produces an effectsimilar to that M of gentle exercise. Resilient bandagesof rubber or other elastic 'materialhave been previously constructed, either in the adjustable or non-adjustable form, the-former type being of relatively littleservice, inas much as the resulting pressure and support will vary WlljhlllWlClG limits dependmgon the. size of the part being treated. Adjust able bandages eliminate this undersirable feature, but ordinarily are not provided with means by which the vacuum effect may be produceda One object; ofmyinvention isto produce a new and improved resilient-hamlet the class described, which maybe adjusted about various parts of the body, and held securely in position.-

Another object of my invention is ;.to pi'o-v vide a new and improved resilient band WlllCll' comblnes suitable elements to pro duee a vacuumefl ect overthepart to be treated, and,which also otters resistance to 3 the muscular movements.

1 A further object of my in-ventlon'is to provide a" resilient band formed of an ima pervious mate-rial which permits of the retention 0f the body heat, which induces copious perspiration, andwhich subjects the part under treatment to a-vacuumeftect,

Other. objects and aims of the invention,

more orless specific thanthose-referred to above, will be in part obvious-and in part pointedout in the course of the following description of the elements, co'mliiinations,

arrangements of parts and applications of principles, constituting the invention; and

the scope of protection contemplatedwill be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, wherem'I have shown a preferred form of embodiment of my invention Figure 1 consists of a view in elevation ofthe'band'. l

Figure 2 is 'an-elevational view of the ence character 1' designatesa part of the band, formed of an elastic lmpervlo'us material, such as sheet rubber, to which isattached a fabric 'eXtensiOn '2, united 'to the member 1 and pr'o'yided "along the line of union with asuitable reinforcing member 'Atrthe opposite endtne member l' 'is' provided with a second reinforcing-(mom her 4;; which qhas -a portion 5' provided with suitable faste'ningmeans'to engage theother end of the belt; These fastening means consistot an eye 6 and'a series of snap fasteners 7, or other fastening means of aisuitable character'j i If The'jfabric extension2 is provided with a suitable stiffening member 8, and along its marginal edge 9 -i t isfprovided' with rein forcing-"member 10 in which" there is located'a series of eyelets 111* Passing through the eyelets 11, is as eriesiot eord's'12,which pass through similar eyelets 13, in 'a reinforcing member 14in a fabric portionfot the belt 15. Theportion 1 5 is also provided with a stifiening'member 1 6 and along its marginal edge it 1s reinforced by a' mem- "ber 1'7,'which is'jprovidedwith a hook 18 to engage the eye6, and with aseries of fasteners 19 which are p'osition'edfto engage the corresponding fasteners 7.

The opposite ends of the cords 1.2 are united in reintorcing members 20 and 21,

which areprovided with extending straps 22 and the strap 23 having a buckle 24 on its end through which the end of strap may be inserted and securelyhe-ld. -It" r ll benotedthat the'coflls 12 inter- '1 placed in such a way that when; straps 2 2, and 23; are pulled n oppositedirections, that its portion of the cord which extends between eyelets 11 [and '13 is shortened, vso that the portions 2 and '15 of *It will be not'ed 'furtlier that the elastic .lie against the body'of the wearer.-

x the band are brought 1 more "closQ Y tOQetheI', I i v i is tor the purpose of covering as large an area of the flesh of theabdomen as possible without undue discomfort. I At the ends of the elastic section 01. the band the band is considerably narrower, the points at which the reinforcing members 3 and 4 are 10 catedbeing situated as indicated in Figure 4 on the'sides of the body, and by 'narrowing the band at this point greater freedom of movement is possible without lessening the desirable results. The fabric portion of the band consisting of the members 2 and 15 lies across the back of the wearer when theband is-in operative position, and this portion is widened along its median linezso that when the, band is tightened, the fabric will not produce discomfort. 3

As-indicated at 26, theelastic member of the band is provided with an ovalsuction member, slightlyhupped as indicated at 27.

Thesuctio member 26 is made in the oval form so as to cover a region of the abdomen of considerable extent, and is formed of a slightly heavier andstifler material than the elastiemember 1 as partially to retain its cup shape when the band is positioned about 1 the bodyof the wearer. The member 26- will be seen toi have alplurality of darts 26 iprojecting outwardly from its peripheryused for the purpose of strengthening the union of members 26 and l, theftwo being held vacuum cups. The margin 28 lies in the plane of the elastic member 1 and the suction cups lie on the inner surface of the band so as to I: When theband isv to be worn, it I about the body of the wearer, as indicated at Figur et, the member 26 lying in front and covering the area at whichreduction is is placed to take place. The members 2 and 15 are now passedabout the body toward the rear, and the hook 18 first engaged with the eye 6,'so that the band may beheld in position while the wearer is engaging the fasteners 19 and 17. lVith the bandin this position, it willbe understood that it forms'a closed ring about the wearer, but the surface of the band is notin close contact with the body of the wearer. For this purpose itis necessary toadjust the straps 22 and 23, the straps are passed about'thef body toward the front in opposite direct ions,the strap 22 being inserted through the buckle 24, and drawn up until asuitable degree of tautness is obtained. By reason of the central'cup 26-beingprovided with peripheral recesses 29, this portionof the band'willbe firmly held in posit'ion against the abdomen, since when the band is tightened the member 26 has a tendency to flatten slightly aided in this movement by the pressure of the straps with the consequent expulsion'of air. both'from beneath the cupand. from beneath the recesses 29.

Vulcanized or otherwisesecured in the outer surface of the suction member 26', is a I that the elastic member is formedof an impervious material, the body heat and perspiration will be retained thereunder. This, together with the action of the cup is most effective in reducing, and as the wearer performs the usual bodily movements, the cup by reason of the partial vacuum thereunder tends to draw the flesh therewithin at all times. creased circulation, and by reason of the resistance offered to bodily movements, the tissues located under the cup are subjected to a pulling and kneading which in turn increases the circulation. The efiect also somewhat similar to that which is produced by exercise, and it will be readily appreciated that the combination of exercise. the diffuse perspiration, and the increased circulation will be most effective to attain the purposes desired. By reason of the fabric nicinhers being provided with suitable stiffening, there is no tendency for the fabric to roll over along the edges, and this in turn keeps the elastic member flat at all times. may be adjusted for persons of different girths and the belt may be Worn as tightly or as loosely as may be desired, within such limits. of course, as permit the cup to perform its functions.

It will be seen that the band which I have shown herein is well adapted to attain in simple and efiective manner all the objects set forth. It is constructed of such materials that it may be worn without undue discomfort and may be adjusted to be worn by persons of different waist measures.

As many changes could be made in this construction without departing from the scope of the following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above de scription or shown in the accompanying drawing shallbe interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense,

This suction elfect, causes an in The belt Having thus described my inventionwhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-is:

1. Anelastic reducingband comprising a relatively wider middle portion constructed to fit the torso of the wearer closely, the said wider portion of the-band having a resilient outwardly cuppedxmember about which the said band'lies closely against the torso, and means for securin'gthe band upon the person of the wearer;

2. A." reducing band comprising a relatively wider -middle portion: constructed to fitthe body of the wearer closely, the said wider portion :of the band having a resilient outwardly cupped memberabout which the said bandxlies'closely against the body,the said cupped member having adjacent thereto an annular series of recesses opening upon the body of the wearer, and meansfor-securingthe band upon wearer. f l

A reducing band comprising a rela* tively wider middle portion constructed to lit the body of the wearer closely, the said wider portion of the band having a resilient outwardly cupped member provided with a margin about which the said band lies closely against the body, the said margin of the cupped member being provided with rethe person of the y cesses spaced apart and arranged to open ting elastic portions of the band, and means for securing the band upon the person of the wearer. I

5. A band for reducing adipose a-ccretions by movements of the body of the wearer, comprising a band fitting the bodyclosely, the said band having an outwardly cupped member surrounded by closely fitting pontions of the band, the said band having a plurality of recesses formed in the said closely fitting portion thereof and at a distance from the said cupped member, and means for securing the band upon the person of the wearer.

6. A reducing band adapted to about the human body comprising an elastic impervious portion, a cup-shaped member incorporated therein and having a peripheral margin adapted to lie in engagement with the flesh, and provided with anchoring cups, astiffened fabric extension united to one end of said elastic portion, a fabric portion united to'said extension'by adjustable means and means to fasten said fabric portion to said elastic portion.

7. A reducing band adapted to be worn be worn about the human body, comprising an elastic impervious portion, a cup-shaped member incorporated thereln and having a peripheral margin adapted to hem engage ment with the flesh and provided'with anchoring cups, a stiffened fabric extension united along a reinforced line of union to one end of said elastic portion, a fabricportion provided with fastening means, va plu rality of laces uniting said fab-ricportion and said extensiomfastening means located in a reinforcing member on theother end of said elastic portion, whereby said-fabric portion may be united to said elastic portion, and meanson said laces whereby said extension and fabric portions may be moved relatively to vary the circumference of said band. i i y 5 8. An elastic band for reducing adipose accretions by movements of the body of the wearer, comprising a ba'ndfitting the torso "closely, the said band having an outwardly cupped member surrounded by closely fitting portions of the band, and means for securing the band upon the person of the wearer including a strap provided with fastening devices, the said strap passing over I and upon the said cupped member.

9. A band for reducingadipose accretions by the movements of the body ofthe wearer,

comprising a band fitting the body closely, 

